Crankshaft bearing



Aug. 22, 1950 w. REDMAN 2,519,501

CRANKSHAFT BEARING Filed March 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i@ @fdr/76gAllg 22, 1950 w, J. REDMAN 2,519,501

CRANKSHAFT BEARING Filed March l5, 1949 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F".IE.2.`

IN VEN TORI Patented Aug. 22, 1950 CBANKSHAFI BEARING Wiliam J. Redman,Pittsburgh, rs., assigner to Oil Well Suppl! Company, a corporation ofNew Jersey application Maren 15, 194s, ser-iai No. 81,61

(ci. s-co2) l 4Claims' This invention relates to crankshaft bearings.particularly those suitable for single action. multiple cylinderreciprocating pumps.

An object of the invention is to provide improved bearings which furnishadditional support for pump crankshafts during power strokes of thepump.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved reciprocatingpumps which have intermediate bearings for the crankshaft on the sideopposite the reciprocable elements for absorbing part of the thrustduring power strokes, thereby permitting use of lighter crankshafts andmain bearings.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which isshown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a reciprocatingpump which has improved crankshaft bearings embodying features of thepresent invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on lineII-II of Figure 1.

In the drawing there is shown a reciprocating pump which has a pluralityof cylinders I0, herein illustrated as three in number. Each cylindercontains a reciprocable element I2, herein illustrated as a plunger,which is driven in the usual fashion from a crankshaft I3, a connectingrod I4 and a crosshead I5. The power strokes of the three plungers takeplace sequentialhr one at a time, the three cranks on the crankshaftbeing spaced 120 apart for this purpose. The crankshaft is mounted in ahousing I6 on main antifriction bearings Il at each end and carries adrive pulley I8, which is connected to any suitable drive mechanism. Thedetails of the connecting rods, crossheads, plungers and cylinders perse are not part of the present invention and may be varied as desired.Hence the showing of these parts is to be taken only as one example ofan arrangement in which the bearing means of the present invention canbe incorporated.

In accordance with the present invention. housing I6 has an integralcrescent shaped web I9 opposite each space between cranks on crankshaftI3. A bearing shoe is removably fastened to the inner face of each webI9 and extends through an arc of approximately 120 opposite thecrossheads. The web has upper and lower offsets 2l and 22 approximately120 apart to which the ends of the shoe are attached. The preferredattaching means includes clamp plates 2l. which abut the ends 0f theShoe. and bolts u which pass through said offsets and clamp plates. Thecentral portion of the web has an integral hollow sleeve 25 that extendsto the back of the housing. The shoe is additionally fastened to the webby a screw 26 that passes through this sleeve. The back end of thehousing has a removable cover plate 2l through which screws 24 and 26,the clamping plates and the shoes are accessible for replacing the shoeswhen they become Worn. It is seen that both the inside and the outsidefaces of the shoes are free of protuberances so that these faces can bemachined readily.

Crankshaft I3 carries collars or journals 28 which are positioned sothat they can engage the inner faces of shoes 20 through theapproximately arc that these shoes extend. In the preferred constructionthe journals clear the bearing shoes under normal pump loads. Duringexcessive or peak loads the crankshaft receives an excessive bendingmoment on each power stroke of the reciprocable elements. The crankshaftis deflected slightly and the bearing shoes engage and support thecrankshaft opposite the reciprocable elements and thus absorb a.substantial part of the thrust from this additional bending moment.

It is seen that alternatively crankshaft bearings constructed accordingto the present invention could engage the crankshaft at all times. Ineither case the bearings furnish additional support for the crankshaftswhere such support is most needed. Therefore such bearings permit theuse of lighter crankshafts and main bearings and reduce the overallweight of the assembly. At the same time the structure is simple andrugged and easy to maintain.

While I have shown and described only certain preferred embodiments ofthe invention, it is apparent that further modifications may arise.Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth butonly by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a single action, multiple cylinder reciprocating pump having acrankshaft, connecting rods and crossheads for driving the reciprocableelements, and a housing and bearings rotatably mounting said crankshaft,additional bearing means for supporting said crankshaft during powerstrokes of the reciprocable elements comprising journals on saidcrankshaft intermediate the cranks, and bearing shoes carried in saidhousing on the side opposite said crossheads and engageable with saidjournals for absorbing part of the thrust of bending moments in thecrank- Shaft.

2. In a single action, multiple cylinder reciprocating pump having acrankshaft, connecting rods and crossheads for driving the reciprocableelements, and a housing and bearings rotatably mounting said crankshaft,additional bearing means for supporting said crankshaft during powerstrokes of the reciprocable elements comprising journals on saidcrankshaft intermediate the cranks, webs in said housing on the sideopposite said crossheads and being aligned with said journals, andbearing shoes removably attached to the inside of said webs andengageable with said journals for absorbing part of the thrust of'bending moments in said crankshaft.

3. In a single action, multiple cylinder plunger pump having acrankshaft, connecting rods and cros'sheads for reciprocating theplungers, and a housing and bearings rotatably mounting said crankshaft,additional bearing means for supporting said crankshaft during powerstrokes of the plungers under peak pump loads comprising journals onsaid crankshaft intermediate the cranks, crescent shaped webs in saidhousing on the side opposite said crossheads and having offsetsapproximately 120 apart and a central sleeve between said offsets, saidwebs being aligned with said Journals, bearing shoes on the inside ofsaid webs between said offsets, fastening means removably attaching saidbearing shoes to said webs at said oiIsets and said sleeve, saidjournals normally clearing said bearing shoes but being adapted toengage said bearing shoes when said crankshaft flexes during powerstrokes of the plungers under peak pump loads for absorbing 4 part ofthe thrust of bending moments in said crankshaft, and a removable cove;plate closing said housing and furnishing access to said bearing shoes.

4. In a single action, multiple cylinder plunger' pump having acrankshaft, connecting rods and crossheads for reciprocating theplungers, and a housing and bearings rotatably mounting said crankshaft,additional bearing means for supporting said crankshaft during powerstrokes of the plungers under peak pump loads comprising journals onsaid crankshaft intermediate the cranks, crescent shaped webs in saidhousing on the side opposite said crossheads and having olfsetsapproximately apart and a central sleeve between said offsets, said websbeing aligned with said journals, bearing shoes on the inside of saidwebs between said offsets, clamping plates and screws removablyattaching said bearing shoes to said webs at said offsets, screwsremovably attaching said bearing shoes to said webs at said sleeves, thearcuate faces of said bearing shoes being free of protuberances tofacilitate their machining, said journals being adapted to engage saidbearing shoes during power strokes of the plungers under peak pump loadsfor absorbing part of the thrust of bending moments in said crankshaft,and a removable cover plate closing said housing and furnishing accessto said bearing shoes.

WILLIAM J. REDMAN. No references cited.

